CONGRESSMAN RYAN DELIVERS ON VITAL HUDSON VALLEY PRIORITIES IN BIPARTISAN NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT

Congressman Ryan Delivers on Vital Hudson Valley Priorities in Bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act 

Ryan delivered on critical Hudson Valley priorities in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA); his actions accelerate cleanup and address health effects of PFAS at military sites (including at Stewart Air National Guard Base), advance critical counter-drone capabilities and expand the defense innovation ecosystem in New York

In addition to these local wins, Congressman Ryan also secured a 3.8% pay raise for our troops and $1.5 billion in new construction of barracks, dormitories, housing, and child development centers

WASHINGTON, DC  –  This week, Congressman Pat Ryan helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of the House Armed Services Committee, delivering key wins for the Hudson Valley, among them actions to accelerate cleanup and address health effects of PFAS at military sites including Stewart Air National Guard Base, advance critical counter-drone capabilities, and expand the defense innovation ecosystem across New York. 

In addition to these major local wins, Congressman Ryan also secured a 3.8% pay raise for our troops, $1.5 billion of funding for new construction of barracks, dormitories, housing, and child development centers, as well as an additional $460 million for environmental cleanup at military sites.

“I fought tooth and nail to deliver for Hudson Valley families and for our country,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “ This year’s NDAA includes a pivotal military pay raise, providing our servicemembers and their families the pay and peace of mind they deserve, as well as record-breaking investments in quality of life and barracks improvements for cadets and servicemembers. Equally important, I secured landmark expansions of our counter-drone capabilities, following concerning drone activity at Stewart Air National Guard Base last year– because our community deserves to feel safe. We’re also bolstering our critical effort to cleanup PFAS at military sites in our district, including at Stewart. This bill is a major win for Hudson Valley families and the country as a whole.”

Congressman Ryan spearheaded the following components of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act:

• Actions to counter the DHA's proposed downsizing of Military Treatment Facilities and keep hospitals open.
• A provision to raise the cap from three to five on the number of cadets/midshipmen who are eligible to fulfill their active duty requirements in the reserves if they are drafted to be a professional athlete.
• Actions to allow the Defense Innovation Unit to expand its presence and establish hubs across the East Coast, including New York. 
• Provisions supporting the expansion of counter-drone research and development and bolstering counter-drone authorities for base defense commanders in the US.  
• Provisions to accelerate PFAS remediation and require DoD healthcare providers receive PFAS effects training. 
• Provisions to drive software interoperability and integration at DoD.
• Provisions to expand access to DoD secure facilities for academia and startups. 
• Provisions to encourage DoD’s safe adoption and use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. 
• Updates to cybersecurity and resiliency of DoD weapons systems platforms. 
• Efforts to modernize approaches to missile production through the use of digital engineering and additive manufacturing. 
• Efforts to mitigate risks to the defense industrial base and address critical chokepoints. 

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